Drink Less, Weigh Less

A study published in the April 1st edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked weight loss to a reduction in liquid calorie consumption. The study was cited this week in an MSNBC report, "Liquid calories, a bigger diet-buster than food." Apparently, sugar-sweetened beverages (soft drinks, sodas, fruit drinks) are the biggest hindrance to weight loss. (Hmm...I scream for ice cream!)

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Over the course of 18 months, researchers monitored the liquid calorie intake of 810 male and female subjects, ages 25-79, from Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Durham, N.C., and Portland, Ore. They found that participants who reduced their liquid calorie intake lost an average of 0.55 pounds at the six month mark and 0.52 pounds at 18 months.

The report also cites earlier studies by Bloomberg School researchers who have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to the obesity epidemic, which affects two-thirds of adults in the U.S.

Back in 2006, former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, worked with the American Heart Association and soda manufacturers to ban sugary soft drinks from public schools. And now, some states are considering taxing sugar-sweetened drinks like cigarettes.

What do you think of imposing bans and taxes on sugary drinks? Do you limit your family's intake?